1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous inspection apparatus for inspecting a subject to be inspected in a continuous production line without stopping the flow of the subject to be inspected, for example, relates to a continuous inspection apparatus for automatically examining to see whether the subject to be inspected, such as an ample, a vial or the like which contains liquid, is acceptable or not.
2. Prior Art of the Invention
Conventionally, as a continuous apparatus of this kinds, there is known an inspection apparatus for examining if liquid charged into a transparent container contain foreign materials or not, by taking a photograph of the subject by making the subject to be inspected pass in front of a camera to allow the camera to take a photograph of the subject with making light pass through the transparent container as the subject, and then processing the photograph by using an image, processing device.
In order to meet a requirement to increase inspecting speed of the subject, such an inspection system where both a floodlight and a camera follow the subject so as to realize a condition that the floodlight, the camera and the subject are aligned in a straight line for a while, to thereby be able to take a picture of the subject to be inspected without disturbing the production line, such as stopping the flow of the subject in the production line.
As shown in FIG. 3, one of the actual examples of such a conventional continuous inspection apparatus has a pair of inspection instruments. Inner supporting portion 51 and outer supporting portion 52 are disposed to be turntable around a rotation center of conveying table 50 and also are disposed in such a way as to sandwich ring-like conveying table 50 which turns in one direction. Camera 53 is mounted on inner supporting portion 51, and floodlight 54 is mounted on outer supporting portion 52.
Subject to be inspected 57, which is taken onto conveying table 50 from supplying line 56, passes through a place between floodlight 54 and camera 53 when conveying table 50 turns, and then subject to be inspected 57 is discharged into a carrying out line. During a time when subject to be inspected 57 is placed on conveying table 50, moving speed of floodlight 54 and camera 53 is adjusted to a speed corresponding to the moving speed of subject 57 in a prescribed (certain) period of time. With taking a photograph being completed during the prescribed period of time, inspection for detecting foreign materials in the liquid is enabled to be finished during the time subject to be inspected 57 is conveyed.
Next, as is shown in FIG. 4, an upper portion of subject 57 is supported by holding cap 59 so as for subject 57 to be conveyed in a stable position or attitude thereof. Holding cap 59 is mounted on subject 57 during all the time from an in-taking stage where subject 57 is taken onto conveying table 50 to a discharging stage where subject 57 is discharged from conveying table 50. And there is a necessity of providing mechanical operation portion 60 for attaching holding cap 59 to subject 57 when subject 57 is taken onto conveying table 50, and for detaching holding cap 59 from the subject 57 when the subject 57 is moved out from conveying table 50. There is also a need to provide upper table 61 in order to support mechanical operation portion 60.
And upper table 61 is required to be positioned at a prescribed height and to be rotated together with subject 57. Considering convenience of taking photograph, it is undesirable to provide a pole or a wall for supporting upper table 61 between floodlight 54 and camera 53. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, ceiling 62 is provided over upper table 61 in order to suspend upper table 61 from ceiling 62.
Furthermore, ceiling 62 is supported, by gate-like frame 65 having enough rigidity and extending from body portion 64 of continuous inspection apparatus 63.
From the condition mentioned above, conventional continuous inspection apparatus 63, which has a structure to suspend upper table 61 from ceiling 62, is required to provide gate-like frame 65 having high rigidity rigid enough for supporting upper table 61 and a driving portion (not shown) for driving upper table 61 in order to secure a precise location of upper table 61, so that the apparatus tends to become large in size, and processing of parts of the apparatus and assembling of the apparatus take a lot of time and the production cost of the apparatus also becomes high.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate these shortages residing in the conventional continuous inspection apparatus. More precisely, an object of the present invention is to provide a continuous inspection apparatus having a cable attached to a camera, which runs through an opening (aperture or hole or clearance) in a center portion of a conveying table so as to eliminate inconvenience that hampers movements of the subject to be inspected in continuous rotation of the conveying table at a time of verification of the continuous inspection apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to provide a low manufacturing-cost continuous inspection apparatus with an upper table having accuracy in its rotational movement without adopting gate-like frame structure having high rigidity.
A feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the apparatus comprises a central axis placed in a vertical direction, the central axis penetrating a disc-like conveying table which conveys a subject to be inspected, a driving means for driving the conveying table, and a pair of inspection instruments for inspecting the subject to be inspected, one of the inspection instruments being placed at an inside of a circle where a plurality of the subjects are aligned in a circle and another one of the inspection instruments being placed at an outside of the circle, wherein an opening is provided at a place between the central axis and an inner peripheral portion of the conveying table, and a cable extending from one of the inspection instruments is running downward through the opening.
According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above, there is no difficulty in movement of the subject to be inspected when the conveying table rotates continuously in a prescribed direction during its operation for inspection and during its operation for verification of accuracy of the apparatus as well.
Another feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the driving means in the apparatus mentioned above has a gear mechanism for transmitting a rotational driving force of the central axis to the conveying table.
According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above all mechanism in the driving system driven by both the conveying table and the central axis is driven synchronizedly. Thereby stable operation of the continuous inspection apparatus can be ensured.
Still another feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the apparatus further comprises, in addition to the features of the apparatus mentioned above, an upper table fixed to the central axis, and a holding cap for holding an upper portion of the subject to be inspected being attached to be vertically movable to the upper table, and the upper table being driven to rotate synchronizedly with the conveying table.
According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above, without adopting a gate-like frame having high rigidity, the upper table can exert rotational movement with high precision, and inspection can be carried out with high accuracy, to thereby be able to provide a low manufacturing cost continuous inspection apparatus.
The nature and further characteristic features of the present invention will be made more clear from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.